Danielle Louise Spencer was a popular American actress who rose to fame as a child actress on the sitcom, What’s Happening! She also reprised her role in the sequel of the show. Danielle was born to writer, Cheryl Pelt, who, after divorcing her first husband, got married to Tim Pelt. Despite being her stepfather, Danielle loved Tim dearly.
It was at the mere age of eight when Danielle was cast in the role of ‘Dee Thomas’ in the sitcom, What’s Happening! The show was the first sitcom on television to feature the lives of Black teenagers. On August 11, 2025, Danielle bid adieu to the world at the age of 60 after her prolonged battle with cancer.
Do you know Danielle met with a tragic accident at 12, which had a devastating effect on her personal life? Danielle’s accident was followed by the multiple health issues she later faced in her life. Let us read on to know more about it.
Danielle Spencer went into a coma after her accident
It was in 1977, during the production of the second season of the sitcom, that Danielle and her stepfather, Tim Pelt, stepped out to watch Star Wars. On their way, the duo met with a car accident and the actress was severely injured as she suffered fractures in her leg, arm and pelvis. Danielle went into a coma for three weeks.
When she opened her eyes after three weeks, she had memory loss and couldn’t remember anything about the accident. She took six months to recover from the accident and underwent physical therapy.
Danielle Spencer lost her stepfather, Tim Pelt, in the car crash
It was not just the physical injuries the child star underwent, but the accident caused emotional turmoil for her as she lost her stepfather, Tim Pelt. Despite being her stepfather, Tim and Danielle were very close to one another.
Tim was the one who taught Danielle about showbiz and how to deal with stardom. In her 2011 memoir, Through The Fire…Journal of a Child Star, Danielle revealed the impact of her accident and penned:
“I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to my stepfather, Daddy Tim, whom I loved and who taught me show business as a young child in New York.”
Danielle Spencer was diagnosed with spinal stenosis
The accident had a devastating effect on Danielle’s health. She could hardly walk and used crutches. Her speech was also affected, and the actress only spoke a few words. In 2004, Danielle was diagnosed with spinal stenosis as a result of the injuries from her 1977 car accident. A surgery to correct the problem left her paralysed for eight months.
Danielle Spencer was diagnosed with breast cancer
As she recovered from her spinal cord injury, Danielle was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. Her diagnosis came as a shock to Danielle, who thought she couldn’t go through anything worse. In an interview with Black America Web, she shared:
“With everything that I’ve been through with the spinal cord injury, I said I know God is not going to give me another affliction, so I was completely shocked when the doctors told me.”
Danielle Spencer underwent an emergency brain surgery
The aftermath of the accident could be seen on Danielle as she dealt with one health crisis after another and underwent multiple surgeries. In 2018, Danielle had emergency brain surgery for a bleeding hematoma.
The hematoma was formed due to the car accident. A GoFundMe page dedicated to her medical expenses stated:
“Danielle Spencer started experiencing massive debilitating headaches. After going back and forth to the doctor for medicine, the headaches persisted until last week when she became unconscious. These headaches left her unresponsive and caused her to almost succumb to her illness. With quick action from expert doctors, they did emergency brain surgery removing a bleeding hematoma that formed due to the car accident.”
Danielle Spencer’s death after her prolonged battle with cancer
Danielle Spencer has dealt with many health issues ever since her accident. Danielle, who was last seen in an episode of Days of Our Lives in 2001, finally found peace on August 11, 2025. Danielle’s co-star shared the news of her passing away at the age of 60 in an Instagram post. Haywood revealed that the actress turned veterinarian had passed after a long battle with cancer.
Danielle Spencer’s tragic car accident not only took away her loving father but also left her with a lifelong battle with multiple health crises. She finally found her release from all of it.
Also Read: Danielle Spencer’s Love Life, Divorced Manager, Married Second Time, Got Breast Cancer In Same Year